Sponsored by KPMG and EDF Renewables

With the election fast-approaching, many people in the renewable energy industry are wondering how a potential shift in the current political power structure in the US might impact the push for clean energy. With that uncertainty in mind, Suzanne Leta, vice president of policy and advocacy for the Americas at Fluence, joins the show to discuss tax incentives related to the Inflation Reduction Act, with a particular focus on domestic manufacturing. Suzanne also explains how tariffs related to batteries are structured in a way that makes them surprisingly vulnerable to the whims of whoever occupies the White House. Suzanne also touches on cybersecurity and shares her insights on the impact data centers powering AI are placing on batteries and the rest of the grid … and how smart utilities and other organizations are planning to manage that increased energy demand.

More insights from Suzanne:
Powering America's Future: Grid-Scale Energy Storage Boosts Grid Reliability, Jobs and US Manufacturing

More resources from KPMG:
Survey results:  High energy expectations for renewables

More resources from EDF Renewables:
What We Do

Key highlights from Suzanne:
The buzz around domestic manufacturing - (4:01)
Other IRA incentives like the PTC, ITC and other bonus tax credits - (10:45)
The whimsical nature of Section 301 tariffs on batteries - (13:20)
The politics of the election and the energy transition in the US - (17:15)
Cybersecurity and the grid - (22:12)
Manaing the boom in energy demand from AI data centers - (26:41)
'Hyperscale' data centers vs. typical data centers - (27:24)
Suzanne's bold predictions about the future of battery storage - (31:46)

Sign up for the Renewable Energy SmartBrief

Follow the show on Twitter @RenewablesPod